Reporter could she save her only daughter . I had to be strong for her. Reporter heres kate snow with kidnapped. Mama. Amanda, amanda, i love you. Narrator its hard to imagine a mother being on the other side of this call. If you guys dont pay 1 million in one week, they will kill me, okay . Narrator her daughter was on the phone a world away, she had been kidnapped in one of the most dangerous places on earth. Its just so awful. I hate doing this to you guys. Narrator this mother negotiated with kidnappers with her daughters life on the line. Its not worth your time. I understand. Narrator did you keep it together . I did. I had to be strong for her. Narrator and the daughter faced unimaginable fears. My head was pulled back and there was a serrated knife. Narrator their stories are intertwined, amanda lindhhouse and her mother, amanda stewart, two women driven by strength, courage and most of all, endurance. A story amanda is telling for the first time in detail in the book shes written and on dateline tonight. It all began here in western canada, in the small town of sill van lake. Her parents divorced when she was 8, her mother worked mostly cashier jobs to raise three children. The family always seemed to be on the move. Life wasnt easy for mother and daughter. Amanda yearned, even at an early age, for a world beyond her hometown. One constant was that i waed to be a world traveler. That i wanted to go to every country in the world. Youre a kid, youre how old . 8 years old. And you had stacks of National Geographic . The images that i saw on the pages of National Geographic was everything that my hometown wasnt, like something out of a dream really. Narrator amanda realized her dream of seeing the world in the 1990s after she safed up enough waiting tables for her first trip. Were going to the village. The whole world was wide open to me. She found not only adventure, but something else. Love. I see an attractive man sitting on the porch at the hotel and that was Nigel Brennan. Nye gel, an australian photo journalist was drawn to her as well. What were those first few weeks of your relationship like . We were very bonded. I felt very inspired by what he was doing, capturing images and telling stories that he felt really passionate about. Narrator but the passion and adventure amanda would experience with nigel in africa. I received a phone call from a tearful nigel that he had something to disclose. I felt sort of devastated by that news. Narrator amanda and nigel went their separate ways. It seemed to be pushing boundaries, going from india to pakistan, it did feel like a big deal to me. It was something i really wanted to do and then i did it. And afghanistan was rigt next door. Narrator mom lorinda wasnt thrilled as her daughter trekked into afghanistan and pack can. She tried to talk her daughter out of that trip, but said her daughter was headstrong. And the more amanda traveled, the more she began to see a path to a career. At first she was traveling just for the sake of traveling, seeing the world. Then she thought, i would love to write a book. Narrator amanda sold her first story and photos about 2 remote tuchi people of afghanistan. Soon after that, she got an unexpected call. A tv station backed by the iranian government wanted her to cover the war in iraq for them. Working for iran was less than ideal, but amanda hoped this was a steppingstone for another job. To be paid to live somewhere exotic, must have been really attractive. Reporte yeah, absolutely. Narrator amanda wanted to get more experiencing, but also cover stories she cared about. You need to go out there and go somewhere where you can get a break . Im also starting to look a little bit further out on to the horizon, what other stories are out there that i feel passionate about . At the top of my list was somalia. Narrator somalia, one of the most dangerous countries on the planet. Few reporters even travel there. Theres been no National Government for 20 years. Islamic rebels rule much of the country. But amanda, freelancing as a journalist wanted to make a name for herself. Narrator kelly cox was amandas best friend. They travelled the world together. She remembered amandas desire to go to some naturalia. There were hundreds of thousands of people starving in the refugee camps and no one was telling their stories. Narrator amandas personal life intruded. She unexpectedly heard from nigel, who was now divorced. I heard from nigel that was kind of out of the blue. So you tell him where youre going . I tell him where im going, hes still interested in pursuing journalism, why not invite him to come with me . Narrator amanda emailed her mother about the risky trib. And youre thinking, what . I would rather she didnt go. Were you a little to use your moms words a little headstrong . I was headstrong and even a touch naive. I dont think i had spent enough time throughout my 20s thinking about what happened happen if something did go wrong . Narrator it was on the flight into somalia that another passenger warned amanda and nigel about what could go wrong. Reporter your head is worth millions of dollars. A single terrifying moment that transformed amanda lindhhouses life. I went into shock. [ laughter ] he loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me thats right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands [ girl ] make dinner pop [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. Everything has to be just right. Perfection is in the details. Pillsbury cookie dough. Make the holidays pop narrator it looked peaceful from bochbabove as amanda lindh and nigel i got my first look at somalia from the airplane window, untouched paradise from the sky. But as soon as the plane touched down in mogadishu and we got off, i knew that what many had told me about somalia was true. Narrator the capital city seemed lawless, this was after all the city where 18 army rangers died in blackhawk down. It was more frengz sied than any other place she had ever been. Was it something in the air, was it something you were hearing . It was very palpable in the airport. A very chaotic environment. Narrator the pair went to their hotel and met their staff and Security Team, the people they hired to protect their lives. Those first few days they moved around somalia with ease. I feel like i kind of settled into the mogadishu experience. Narrator back at home amandas mother lorinda was worried about her daughter. I just made sure every time i talked to her that i told her i loved her. I couldnt say it enough. Narrator amanda managed to tamp down her nervousness and get to work looking for stories. Thats what he was doing in the car with nigel on the day that would change their lives. As youre going down the road, what are you doing . Looking out the window and lost in thought. The vehicle started to slow down and i looked up. About a dozen armed men were emerging from where they had been hidden behind that vehicle. All of them with ak47s. I went into shock. The next thing i knew, my door was pulled open and then i found myself lying facedown in the dirt, spread eagle with a gun held to the back of my head. Terrible. That was a line in the sand of my life, there was my life before that moment and theres my life after that moment. Narrator in that moment, she feared her life might end. But instead, she was picked up and shoved back into a car with nigel, three gunmen crowded into the front seat, several more in the back. She didnt know who they were or why they were being taken. We went on this wild desert drive, off road. And one of the leaders of the whole kidnapping operation was in the front seat. I asked, is this about money . And he said to me, uh, it might be Something Like that. Narrator 9,000 miles away from mogadishu in silver lake canadaradio journalist on the line, he had seen a report amanda had been kidnapped. Amandas father called her mother in a pan i believe. I still remember johns voice on the phone. He was just in a complete panic and saying i dont know what to do. You must have felt so helpless . I felt like we were so far apart and with we didnt know where our daughter was. Narrator lorinda was still in shock when she arrived at her exhusbands house, she was desperate to figure out what to do next. I just knew from the moment i walked in the door that i needed to pull myself together. I think i would have been a puddle on the floor. I knew i couldnt. I couldnt. Because if i did, who would she have . Narrator canadian officials suspected this was a kidnapping. They scrambled to set up a recording system. They told lorinda amanda was likely taken by islamic rebels. They had amanda and her friend nigel, the ransom, 1. 5 million for each of them. The negotiators told lorinda as hard as it would be, every time she answered the phone, she had to stay calm. So the next morning, my cell phone rang and it was adam who was negotiator for the kidnappers. Hello . Hello. Narrator when he called on day four, he had a surprise for lorinda. Okay, lorinda. Yes. Talk to your daughter. Amanda . Mom. Amanda, i love you sweetheart. Narrator that call was the first proof that amanda was still alive, lorinda being coached by investigators told her daughter how much the captors demanded for each life they held. Whats the amount . I have no idea. Okay, well, he has asked for 1. 5 million. Oh, my god. Amanda begged her captors to understand that the ransom might never be paid. I come from a poor family. Narrator then the call disconnected. Did you have that kind of money . No, i was a single mom, racing, you know, raising my children and her dad certainly wasnt in a position to pay that kind of money. Narrator but then, canadian officials had routed lorindas phone to an Operations Center they set up and kept covert, she lived there and always ready for the next call. After the first couple of weeks, we realized this might go on for longer than we hoped. Zblng on the other side of the globe, amanda and nigel couldnt know how long they would be held, but amanda feared the worst. I was the only female in a group of about 16 men. So there was a lot of scary thoughts. Reporter coming up, a mother springs into action. Youre playing detective . I learned to analyze everything. Reporter the stakes rise dramatically. They have brought me out to kill me. I had to be strong. We knew that things had taken a i had to be strong. We[ male announcer ] some things are simply better at home. Like the enticing aroma and distinctive taste of nespresso. Elegant capsules meet masterfully crafted machines, and one touch creates the perfect coffee, cappuccino, and latte. Tempt all your senses with one extraordinary coffee. [ Penelope Cruz ] nespresso. What else . [ male announcer ] available at these fine retailers and nespressous. Com. Narrator Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan were kidnapped and taken to a compound in mogadishu. She had no idea where. Mogadishu. Nigel and i were put in a room together, there were thin Foam Mattresses on the floor and a sheet on each one. Narrator that was amandas new reality, her mother lorindas reality, an unprecedented role, lead the negotiation. Family members usually dont participate in the negotiation, its too emotionally draining, but because she had developed a rapport with the kidnappers, the canadian officials asked her to keep talking. Every phone call i had a list of object tys and we were trying to find out as much information as we could. Narrator can you read some of these to us . I have to know if amanda and nigel are alive. Youre playing detective. I learned to analyze everything. You put your entire life on hold. Absolutely. I was scared to leave the phone at all. Narrator lorindas entire existence revolves around the negotiations. Nearly a month after amanda was taken, there had been dozens of nerveracking calls. She was constantly trying to lower the ransom. Aid workers and journalists had not only been kidnapped but had also been killed in somalia. Lorinda feared her daughter would be next. Kelley travelled to lorindas home and found out firsthand just how strong a mothers love can be. She really didnt have a choice. Im not sure that i could do that. I have a whole new respect for lorinda and how strong she is. She literally worked around the clock, 24 7. Narrator by the third week of captivity, amandas and nigels existence were reduced to one room. Her body was sore from the hard floor, the thing amanda missed the most was seeing the sky. Some of their captors were nicer than others. Some threatening. She says abdullah was the worst. Almost as soon as we had been taken, abdullah seemed to lay some claim on me. Narrator during their ordeal, amanda and nigel were moved house to house many times, some worse than others, mold on the walls, cockroaches and rats on the floors. They were always trapped indoors, but all that changed nearly a month after they were taken. They were rousted out of their room and marched outside. We were terrifi and a small video camera was brought out and set down on the ground before us and we were told to beg for our lives. Narrator it was a pivotal moment. On september 17, 2008, lorinda turned on the tv and saw this, a hostage video on al jazeera. She was crushed. It was the first time she saw amanda and nigel and it didnt look good. Were just analyzing her, how she looks, how shes holding herself. You take your negotiator cap off and put your mom hat on. It was terrifying, to be honest, i couldnt keep my mom hat on very often because i couldnt function. Narrator the video was broadcast without sound so lorinda couldnt hear her daughter, but the image of the masked heavily armed captors made the situation very real. What are you feeling as you watched it . I just wanted to bring her home. Never let her go. Narrator weeks passed and each day grew longer and more desperate for both mother and daughter. And then after two months, their captors moved amanda and nigel into separate rooms and kept them apart. Why was that so important . That day, as the days that followed were among the very, very worst because suddenly im alone with my own thoughts and my mind. Narrator amandas mind ran wild, the only woman in a house with 16 men. She feared she would be raped. It turns out your fears were justified. Abdullah starts coming to your room. Yeah. This is very hard to talk about. He did cross that line and my worst fears were realized. And my whole experience in captivity really changed. Locked in that room, a simple act gave amanda strength. I would just walk in circles in this room that i was held in. I would walk with the dreams of the life that i hoped one day i would be able to go on and live. And thats what helped pull me out of the slump that i went into immediately after abdullah started paying those first visits to my room. Then one night in the fourth month of captivity, she was jostled awake and driven out to the desert alone. What happened next was terrifying. They brought me over to an acacia tree, hay they had my kneel and they pulled my head back and there was a serrated knife. I cant imagine the horror you must have been feeling. So many times in those first months i had feared that my head would be cut off because it was something that they threatened us with a lot. I was sure that that was it, that they were going to kill me. It must have felt like an eternity. It did. I felt despair because i didnt want it to be the end. And then they hand you a phone and whos on the phone . My mom. Narrator desperate, amanda had only three minutes to beg for her life. Mom amanda, amanda, i love you. Amanda, how are you . Mom, listen, listen to me. Okay. If you guys dont pay 1 million for me by one week, they will kill me. Okay . Tonight they have brought me out to kill me. But they have given me one more chance to call you guys. Amanda, amanda, stay strong, stay strong, hon. That phone call definitely made it harder. Not to let my imagination go. Did you keep it together . I did. I did. How . I just felt like i had to. I had to be strong for her. But after the call, we just sat there and cried. Things had taken a change. They werent going to be nice anymore. If you can call anything they did nice. Coming up, a daring new plan we might have a chance to escape. Armed with nail clippers and courage, the hostages make a dash for freedom. [ female announcer ] heres to a whole world of happier holidays. Time to enchant, delight and amaze. Safeway will help you gather everyone round. A smoked, shank half ham is only 99 cents a pound. Starbucks is just 6. 99, thats a cup of good cheer. Get sweet clementines for 4. 99, enough for everyone here. Turns out this season less is really so much more. So make your holiday merrier than ever before. Safeway. Ingredients for life. Narrator amanda and nigel had been in captivity for five months, but it wasnt until she was taken out into the desert with a knife to her throat that she actually believed he was going to die in somalia. She was given an ultimatum, either your family pays up or youll be killed. As the day grew closer and then came and went, i realized that that was a fear tactic, but more importantly, i just could not continue to let myself live in that dark place in my mind. I had to become stronger. Narrator amanda and nigel each in separate rooms had discovered if they stood in just the right spot, they could hear each other. They began to talk about getting out. Nigel had begun investigating in the bathroom and realized we might have a chance to escape out that bathroom window. Which at first seemed like an impossible idea. Narrator from that window, they plotted a an escape. Those bicks the mortar that held those bricks in place was crumbling and we had a pair of nail clippers that our captors had given us. Nail clippers . Little tiny ones. You used that . Yes to carve away at that crumbling mortar until the bricks disintegrated and the mortar crumbled. Narrator every day they chipped away, hiding their work by stacking the bricks up again. Each brick loosened meant they were that much closer to freedom until one day the hole was big enough. They had heard the daily calls to prayer so they knew a mosque was nearby. Their plan was to jump down and head there to safety. That was the plan, at least. From the moment i dropped down out of that bathroom window and heard the sound blow, i knew it was bad. Narrator nothing outside looked like they thought it would. Before a neighbor spotted them, they had to gel out of there. We just ran and nigel started screaming for help. We did find the mosque and right before we stepped in, i looked back and i saw one of our young captors standing about 20 feet away. Narrator weak and winded from running for the first time in five months, amanda and nigel dashed into the mosque clinging to the hope that someone there would help. Abdullah is coming . Abdullah chases me around the mosque again. Narrator the kidnappers were desperate to seize their valuable prisoners, they would stop at nothing to get them back. It must have been crazy. People running and shouting and screaming, more people coming into the mosque with guns. Narrator amanda struggled to make sense of the chaotic scene. The m